Finding Dory
Finding Dory is an upcoming 2015 computer-animated film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and the sequel to the 2003 Pixar film Finding Nemo. Andrew Stanton, who directed the original film, will return as director.[1] The film was confirmed by Walt Disney Pictures in April 2013, with a scheduled release date of November 25, 2015.[2] It has also been confirmed that characters from the first film will appear in the sequel, including Dory, Nemo, Marlin and the "Tank Gang".[3] Plot Finding Dory will be focused on the amnesiac character Dory, and will explore the idea of her being reunited with her family.[3] The setting is one year after Finding Nemo and will be set off the coast of California.[4][5] Cast *Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, a Pacific regal blue tang *Albert Brooks as Marlin, a clownfish, Nemo's father It was also announced that Nemo and the "Tank Gang" would return, as well as many other original characters from Nemo, in addition to several new ones that have yet to be announced.[6] However, no other specific casting information was revealed.[3] It is unknown if Jacques will reappear for the sequel because his voice actor, Joe Ranft, died in 2005. Production In 2005, after disagreements between Disney's Michael Eisner and Pixar's Steve Jobs over the distribution of Pixar's films, Disney announced that they would be creating a new animation studio, Circle 7 Animation, to make sequels to the seven Disney-owned Pixar films (which consisted of the films released between 1995 and 2006).[7] The studio had put Toy Story 3 and a sequel to Monsters, Inc. in development, and had also hired screenwriter Laurie Craig to write a draft for Finding Nemo 2.[8] Circle 7 was subsequently shut down after Robert Iger replaced Eisner as CEO of Disney and arranged the acquisition of Pixar. In July 2012, it was reported that Andrew Stanton was developing a sequel to Finding Nemo,[9] with Victoria Strouse writing the script and a schedule to be released in 2016.[10] However, the same day the news of a potential sequel broke, director Andrew Stanton posted a message on his personal Twitter calling into question the accuracy of these reports. The message said, "Didn't you all learn from Chicken Little? Everyone calm down. Don't believe everything you read. Nothing to see here now. #skyisnotfalling"[11] According to the report by The Hollywood Reporter published in August 2012, Ellen DeGeneres was in negotiations to reprise her role of Dory.[12] In September 2012, it was confirmed by Stanton saying: "What was immediately on the list was writing a second Carter movie. When that went away, everything slid up. I know I'll be accused by more sarcastic people that it's a reaction to Carter not doing well, but only in its timing, but not in its conceit."[13] In February 2013, it was confirmed by the press that Albert Brooks would reprise the role of Marlin in the sequel.[14] In April 2013, Disney announced the sequel, Finding Dory, confirming that Ellen DeGeneres and Albert Brooks would be reprising their roles as Dory and Marlin, respectively. Following a long campaign for a sequel on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, DeGeneres stated: "I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time. I'm not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating Toy Story 16. But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: It's got a lot of heart, it's really funny, and the best part is—it's got a lot more Dory."[15] Release Finding Dory is scheduled to be released on November 25, 2015.[1][2]